Commercial aircraft are used to transport passengers between various locations. A commercial aircraft generally flies according to a predetermined flight plan between a departure airport and a destination airport. The flight plan includes a path from the departure airport and the destination airport, and may also include a flight time between the locations.
For various reasons, commercial, business, and general aviation aircraft may be diverted from a flight plan. For example, inclement weather may cause an air traffic controller to divert an aircraft from a flight plan. Due to inclement weather (such as rain or snow), visibility at a destination airport may be limited. Accordingly, an air traffic controller may then determine that separation times between landing aircraft need to be increased. As another example, flight congestion at a destination airport may also cause the air traffic controller to divert an aircraft from a flight plan into a holding pattern.
In order to accommodate landing delays at a particular destination airport (whether due to inclement weather, flight congestion, or the like), an aircraft is often diverted into a holding pattern, which deviates from the flight plan. Typically, an air traffic controller verbally communicates with a pilot onboard an aircraft to inform a pilot of a required landing delay, and directs the pilot to fly the aircraft in a holding pattern until further notice. Once the aircraft is diverted into the holding pattern, the pilot is typically unaware as to how long the holding pattern will last. As such, the pilot may periodically contact the air traffic controller to inquire as to when the aircraft will be cleared for landing.
As can be appreciated, the sooner a pilot is able to determine a total expected time of a holding pattern, the sooner the pilot will know when the aircraft will eventually land. Further, a pilot may decide to divert the aircraft to another airport if the holding pattern will be too long, such as if the aircraft is running low on fuel. Again, the sooner the pilot is aware of the expected duration of the holding pattern, the sooner the pilot will be able to decide the most appropriate action to take (for example, a decision as to whether to remain in a holding pattern, or divert the aircraft to another airport).
Additionally, because the pilot of the aircraft may periodically contact the air traffic controller regarding eventual clearance for landing, the air traffic controller may be distracted from other duties and responsibilities. Consequently, the flight schedules of various flights may be delayed due to the air traffic controller communicating with one or more pilots regarding holding patterns.
Moreover, passengers onboard an aircraft may become anxious and/or irritated when the aircraft is in a holding pattern. In particular, certain passengers may become anxious on account of not knowing exactly when the aircraft will land.